NEW DELHI: The Gandhis could face a serious challenge to their leadership of the Congress as it's likely to get less than 100 Lok Sabha seats, BJP's PM candidate Narendra Modi told TOI in an exclusive interview, his most exhaustive to date.

"The fight is now for the relevance of the Gandhi family as unquestioned leaders of Congress party. Their target is to somehow cross the hundred seat mark so that their leadership is not challenged. I see all possibility of Congress falling below hundred seats, and if that happens, there will be a serious churning within the Congress party over the issue of leadership," Modi said.

On the possibility of Priyanka replacing Rahul, he said, "It is for the Congress to take these decisions post the election results. However, it seems odd that a national party like the Congress should not be able to think beyond the Gandhi family."

Responding to a question about minorities being wary of him, Modi said Congress and some other parties had tried to resort to "fear-mongering", but expressed confidence that this would not work. "Today, it is anachronistic to think that a community will not be interested in the theme of development and good governance. It is the politics of vote banks which has done maximum damage to our country in the last 60 years. Now, this type of politics has attained its expiry date," he said in an email interview.

Modi had tough words for law minister Kapil Sibal over 'Snoopgate', saying Sibal used his legal acumen to serve personal and party interests rather than national interest and had been trying for long to ensnare him.

"If Sibal were to have his way, not only would he have found a judge, but he would have obtained the kind of report that he wants so badly," said Modi. Referring to the law minister describing him as a "potential suspect" in the Tulsidas Pajapati case, he said only Sibal could coin a term like "potential accused" which gave away "his very old desire to somehow implicate me in some or the other false case".

Responding to questions about CBI's investigations against him, Modi said insulating CBI from political diktat ranks high on his agenda. "It will be our endeavour to ensure CBI is no longer an institution that can be manipulated to achieve political ends," he said. On the possibility of immunity for Robert Vadra, he said, "It would be absurd to even debate that anyone can be granted immunity from law, even if that person is me."

Modi explained his focus on the economy, saying India must prepare for a "jobs war" and stressed the need for a clearer view of the growth versus environment debate so that projects are not delayed due to manipulation of green norms.

"The problem arises when the procedure for environment clearances is used in a mala fide manner for rent-seeking. I am convinced that we can move towards a win-win situation wherein all environment concerns will be adequately addressed, but not at the cost of project delays," he said. He added that he would bring the focus back to infrastructure and manufacturing, seek to control inflation through supply side measures, and help revive investor sentiment.

Touching on foreign relations, Modi said ties with Pakistan could improve only if it took effective and demonstrable action against terror networks that operate from its soil. However, he added, "We should not be constrained by what has happened in the past if the present throws up a new possibility in terms of solutions."

He was more optimistic on ties with China, saying it was possible to solve bilateral problems and take the relationship to another level.

He denied that the US decision to not give him a visa would affect bilateral ties, saying the two countries were natural partners and matters concerning one individual should not be allowed to influence relations.

On the challenge of Maoism and terrorism, Modi called for a "zero tolerance" approach. He said the state should step up its capabilities against what he called the "biggest" internal security threat and keep all options open, "regardless of what are the reasons for people to resort to violence". He elaborated, "We can chose to deal with issues the way we want to, but our response should not be constrained by unavailability of options."

Asked about the composition of his ministry if voted to office, he answered, "It is a relevant question, but premature." He was non-committal when asked whether he would retain the Varanasi or Vadodara seat if he won both. "The party will decide," was his short reply.

On speculation that he would work more through bureaucrats than ministers, which is perceived as his style of functioning in Gujarat, he said, "The buck stops with the political executive. The BJP and its NDA partners have got the most experienced and talented people to run the government. We have to work as a team."

Addressing fears that an NDA government would scrap social programmes like NREGA, he said, "We are committed to the effective implementation of NREGA. However, there is a need to analyze the costs and benefits in a professional manner. We cannot let so much public money be spent without creating any durable assets."

There is no doubt that Rahul Gandhi has proved or so is the popular opinion that he is a total failure to lead a political party. He just does not apparently possess the chemistry that is essential to be a politician or a leader.

On the other hand, Priyanka Gandhi, though a pleasant face, but has hardly displayed a grasp of the facts and issues of governance and sadly, both Rahul and she have surprisingly substituted taking on the opposition with a display, as if that is the soul of governance, of emotional high notes about 'sacrifices' of their grandmother and father rather than concentrating on the achievement of the UPA with competitive facts and statistics, leaving one in wonderment if incantation of the Nehru Gandhi name and sacrifice is the sum and substance of governing India!

To quote from Swagato Ganguli's blog in TOI (6 May) "End of Nehruvian Consensus?", there were 85% voters in the first General Election in 1952.

Today it is not so the case.

While the Gandhi Nehru name may have spun magic in 1952 and successive years, yet today, because of the perceived notion that the pathetic condition that the name has landed India in, it appears that this family name would no longer be the magic to conjure votes.

Apparently, the what appears as mushy sentiments of 'sacrifice' of the Family Gandhi will not be the sole elixir to win elections. It may just, but not for long. People do want a better life with better amenities and jobs and not mere dreams and vacuous mush spun at election time.

One wonders if Modi has correctly analysed that the family name of Nehru Gandhi has gone past its expiry date, and if the Congress is in sub 100 tally, it will be Davy Jones Locker for the Gandhis, considered to be the First Family of the Congress.

IMO the problem doesn't lie with the Gandhi family but with the total clowns and sycophants they have surrounded themselves with. If congress party does not undertake any serious reforms and continues to paradrop total amateurs into its governing council rather than leaders who came from grassroots politics, it might seem a long shot as of today, but over the next decade we will see AAP devouring the congress party's voter base while BJP will remain rather unaffected from a fractured opposition.

Far more serious than so-called `Snoopgate` where a young woman was given protection by Gujarat police at her father's request and is indeed no `Gate` of any kind is the sexual escapades of the senior Congress spokes person in return for appointment to Delhi High Court as judge ! I wonder how many appointments hace been made in this manner !

IMO this should have been investigated when the CD became public. After lying low for few months the guy is back pontificating on all TV channels.

Rahul is a decent guy who has no appetite for the inherent gutter nature of Indian politics.
He has probably never had a strong desire to be PM, and probably wisely knows that he is not ready to lead Congress.
But Rahul is very good for India in that he is no match for Modi.

In that sense, he is a blessing in disguise if Modi comes to power with a strong enough majority where they don't have to cobble a coalition government with a bunch of "half-baked regional parties led by a bunch of half-cocked leaders who act like they are demigods".
India desperately needs a strong leader with a strong majority to lead without the distractions of their regional coalition numnuts

I believe Rahul is that "blessing in disguise".......Congress will really help themselves by sitting in opposition. India will improve with a competent pragmatic Modi. The thing I like about Modi is that he is pragmatic.......he will do whatever works.

Congress on the other hand can hopefully close the chapter on the Gandhi dynasty. I don't think this current generation of Gandhis or for that matter even Rajiv Gandhi really wanted to be politicians......but its these Congress sycophants who have put all this pressure on the Gandhis to take over the leadership of Congress. If you really want to be a politician you go to Law school or study economics or political science, etc.......you don't become an airline pilot like Rajiv did.

So Congress losing badly will actually be a good thing for Congress itself..........it will give them the ultimate excuse to clean house, and replace the Gandhi Family and their old guard with new blood. Rahul can then go run an NGO that helps people or do something that he really wants to do.

IMO the problem doesn't lie with the Gandhi family but with the total clowns and sycophants they have surrounded themselves with. If congress party does not undertake any serious reforms and continues to paradrop total amateurs into its governing council rather than leaders who came from grassroots politics, it might seem a long shot as of today, but over the next decade we will see AAP devouring the congress party's voter base while BJP will remain rather unaffected from a fractured opposition.

Click to expand...

Congress is FULLY responsible since it not only allows corruption but even rewards them.

Its better they get rid of this fake "Gandhi" clan which is actually Nehru clan.

These "Gandhi" dynasty has become parasite to Indian Democracy.

If Congress really wanna come to power again then throw out these fake Gandhis begging votes in the name of Rajiv and Indira.

Whoever thinks Gandhis were supreme "leaders" of the Congress got it all wrong. They are more of figureheads than leaders. Under its hood, Congress is essentially an oligarchy. Those oligarchs needed a handful people for the press to stay distracted. Hence they came up with the "king can do no wrong" kind of saint-like figureheads, which are the Gandhis, so that the party can always fall back on their seemingly squeaky-clean image. Notice how despite an ocean of corruption charges against its leaders, the Gandhis still look "taint-less". That's their play.

Whoever thinks Gandhis were supreme "leaders" of the Congress got it all wrong. They are more of figureheads than leaders. Under its hood, Congress is essentially an oligarchy. Those oligarchs needed a handful people for the press to stay distracted. Hence they came up with the "king can do no wrong" kind of saint-like figureheads, which are the Gandhis, so that the party can always fall back on their seemingly squeaky-clean image. Notice how despite an ocean of corruption charges against its leaders, the Gandhis still look "taint-less". That's their play.

Click to expand...

I would like that to be true. But there is the question of Sonia Gandhi. Why her and what are her qualifications. the more one looks at her and discover that she is foreign born and also a widow of a former prime minister makes it more compelling for one to known more about her. in fact if the image and purview of her was done truthfully and managed accordingly she could have been a super power politician. but yet no one knows who she really is. I appreciate if there is a sympathy and recompense approach to her selection and reason for keeping her in power to off-guard what happened in the past and also having a single figure-head that can say yes - no easily. from that perspective one can say congress is a oligarchy since the power is there for a reason and given by someone and others. but that means that power is not within congress but outside congress that has connections inside congress and all major parties.

i do not have a problem with sonia gandhi and what she has achieved in fact it is a strong credential on our country that has allowed her and her family to regain their pride and political ties after what happened to them that must have been terrible and unfortunate and not good. but i do have a problem of making "squeaky-clean image" and "saint-like figureheads" which is not the fact and the case. in politics such people can easily be found out and squeaked out.

i do not advocate going after sonia gandhi on principle (not because of her qualifications). but where does one stand with respect to Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi and their respective family members.

The answer can be sought by looking at Indira Gandhi other grandson - Varun Gandhi. He is probably more qualified compared to Rahul and Priyanka yet we see him in the BJP and fighting elections outside the Congress and also the criticism, provocations and beliefs that come with that. If it is different for Varun Gandhi it automatically means that Rahul and Priyanka deserve to have their "squeaky-clean image" and "saint-like figureheads" evaluated, probed and even with the case of Robert Vadra put through the legal process of the Republic of India to show who and how and why such people will behave when faced with such events.

I also do not see the end of Congress Party i think that is your main point. They are much more and bigger compared to the current leaders.

May God grant people's wish of a sub hundred total for Congress in this election tally. That will rid country Of Gandhi dynasty.

They have corrupted a whole generation of people with money, threats and clever placement of pro - Gandhi officials in the running of country.

My wish will be fulfilled if Sonia's citizenship documents are re-examined and then her citizenship of India is cancelled. If she remains in India then with $4 billion in Congress bank accounts, she would continue to bribe more and more people to come back in power.

I have no doubt that the Gandhi dynasty will continue even after a sub-100 performance.

Simply because it is not the sub-100 seats that matters but the purse strings to the super(or hypo)-100 (B $) that will matter. SG has all the account numbers and "go fetch" $ is enough for sycophant dogs for 5 years.